Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a concert marking the eighth anniversary of Russia's incorporation of Crimea at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow on March 18, 2022. Photo: Getty Images/File photo.
Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com)—Russia’s Central Election Commission has released the first results of the presidential election results. With 72.5% of the ballots counted, current president Vladimir Putin obtained 87.2% of the votes, followed by Nikolai Kharitonov of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (4.2%), Vladislav Davankov from the New People party (4.1%), and Leonid Slutski from the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (3.2%).
The voting process began on Friday, and the polling stations closed at 9:00 p.m. this Sunday, March 17, putting an end to the third and final day of the presidential elections in Russia and marking the beginning of the counting of votes, reported RT.
The Central Election Commission reported that turnout in the presidential elections was 74.1%. With these data, the EFE news agency reported that participation in these elections exceeds that of 2018, which stood at 67.5%. The total participation includes electronic voting, implemented for the first time in Russian elections.
“I am pleased to be with my allies and like-minded people for this evening,” President Putin said after the first official report was released. The president thanked all Russian citizens who voted in these elections and expressed that “the source of power” of the country is the people. “We are all a team,” he added. President Putin added that it will never be possible to suppress the will of Russian citizens from abroad, in reference to the foreign intervention in the elections and the cyberattacks reported by Russian authorities on the electoral infrastructure.
The president added that the conditions are in place to continue advancing and make Russia “stronger, more powerful, more efficient.” Putin led the vote count in all new regions of the country. Thus, with 100% of the votes counted, he obtained 95.2% support in the Donetsk People’s Republic, 94.1% in the Lugansk People’s Republic, 88.1% in Kherson province, and 92.8% in Zaporizhzhia province.
It was reported on Friday by the president of the Central Electoral Commission of Russia, Ela Pamfilov, that the platform that registers online votes for the presidential elections was targeted by at least 160,000 cyberattacks since the beginning of the campaign.
“Since the beginning of the vote, 160,000 attacks against remote electronic voting resources were prevented. The voting portal was directly subjected to about 130,000 main attacks,” Pamfilova explained. Likewise, she warned that almost 30,000 attacks alone were carried out against the platform’s surveillance portal. The Russian official stated that despite the attacks, more than four million Russians had already exercised their right to vote through this platform by Friday.
Venezuela’s Ruling Party PSUV Proclaims Nicolás Maduro as Presidential Candidate
President Maduro congratulates Putin
On Sunday, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, on behalf of the Venezuelan people, congratulated President Vladimir Putin and his political movement for the electoral victory in his re-election as president of the Russian Federation for the 2024- 2030 term.
Through a statement posted on social media by Foreign Minister Yván Gil, Venezuela extended its recognition to the Russian people for their deep commitment to democracy, expressed in their extraordinary participation in this election day.
Below is the unofficial translation of Minister Gil’s statement:
Head of State congratulates President Putin for overwhelming electoral victory in Russia
The President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro Moros, on behalf of the Venezuelan People, congratulates President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and his political movement for the overwhelming electoral victory in his re-election as president of the Russian Federation, for the 2024- 2030 term, extending his recognition to the glorious Russian people for their deep commitment to democracy, expressed in the extraordinary participation in this successful election day.
The unity of the Russian people and the leadership of President Putin are the basis of Russia’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, as well as its political stability and global security.
The Russian people and government, with audacity and wisdom, have been able to overcome the multidimensional attacks that Russia has suffered in recent times and will continue to do so with the determination and impetus that has characterized them throughout their memorable history.
The government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela expresses its unwavering will to continue working closely in the comprehensive strategic alliance to advance mutually beneficial cooperation and to continue contributing for the construction of a multicentric and pluripolar world, of justice, equality, and peace.
The Venezuelan government and people send their best wishes to President Putin, his family, and all of Russia, who will surely continue on the path of new and historic victories.
Caracas, March 17, 2024
Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff
OT/JRE/SL
